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GOD’S VERY NAMES MEAN: "I WANT TO MEET YOUR NEEDS"
Editor’s Note: This "MM" is the 9th of 2012 -- and the 129th email sermon overall.
"Ministers' Minute" is a free service of encouragement to preachers, chaplains, donors, and Christian workers around the world. This sermon deals with a difficult passage and we pray that it will encourage you and those you teach. Use it as a devotional, edit it, share it, or use components of it!
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Casteel
Beyond A Reasonable Doubt
The Drums of Moloch
GOD’S VERY NAMES MEAN: "I WANT TO MEET YOUR NEEDS"
Matthew 6:9
OPEN: NAMES: Three mischievous boys went to the zoo one day for an outing, since they had been at school all week. They decided to visit the elephant cage, but soon, a cop picked them up for causing a commotion. The officer hauled them off to security for questioning. The supervisor in charge asked them to give their names and tell what they were doing at the elephant cage. The first boy innocently said, "My name is Gary, and I was just throwing peanuts into the elephant cage – the sign said we could." The second added, "My name is Larry, and all I was doing was throwing peanuts into the elephant cage – the sign said we could." The third boy was a little shaken up and said, "Well, my name is Peter, but my friends call me Peanuts."
Probably the first decision any parent has to make concerning their children is "What are we going to name them?" Not easy! Lots of choices, but not all are suitable. Some questionable choices- Preachers- Harry Pitts and Ivan Odor. The football player with the Cowboys in the 70’s was aptly named… DEXTER CLINKSCALE.
My friend in Arkansas who worked for the Forest Service: Don Woods. "Forest Service, Woods speaking." Some friends of ours recently named their son Benjamin; the mother’s name is Jamin, and "Ben" means "son of Jamin." But very few names today are given because of their meaning. The names of our God are full of meaning.
The first request in the "Lord’s Prayer" has to do with the name of God. Matthew 6:9 "Hallowed be thy name" Little boy called God, "Howard" from "Howard be thy name"
The Jews had reverence for the name. In fact they wouldn’t even pronounce it.
Proposition: Understanding who He is gives us the confidence that He will provide the things we need.
Let’s look at some of God’s specific names and what they tell us. With each name and each meaning, you will be challenged with one assignment… here we go!
They all start with JEHOVAH. The great "I am that I am" Who makes covenants with people.
You say, "Multiple names?" In this sense: I have many names- Rod, Dad, Honey, Preacher. You can tell a lot about a person’s relationship with another by the names they use. I.E. Telemarketers "Is this the Rev. Rodney D. Farthing?" Who? I don’t think so! They don’t know me at all!
God has multiple names, each describing His incomprehensibly wonderful nature:
I. "JEHOVAH-JIREH" MEANS GOD WANTS TO SUPPLY YOUR NEEDS.
This name comes out of one of the great stories in the OT. God told Abraham to go offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. In the nick of time, God provided a ram caught in the thicket.
Genesis 22:14 So Abraham called that place Jehovah-Jireh --The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." And on the Mount we call Calvary, the Father provided the ultimate and final sacrifice! This fulfills the prophecy in Gen 22:8: "And Abraham said, 'God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.'" (ASV) Note "HIMSELF!" And that’s what He did on Calvary.
God aims to take care of those who will put Him first in their lives. He doesn’t want us to have to waste time worrying about how our needs will be met. Abraham passed the test; he put God first. Jesus said: "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God…." Paul said in Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." God is your provider! Your boss is not your provider. Your customers aren’t your providers. Neither is anyone else! These people may be used by the Father as channels through which He blesses you; but God is the provider.
The early American heroes commonly called God PROVIDENCE. He is the provider.
Here’s an exercise to reinforce this. Write down on paper your most urgent need. God knows what it is before you even ask, but He wants you to see Him as your source of provision. Now ask God to meet that need.
II. "JEHOVAH-SID-KENU" GOD WANTS TO FORGIVE YOUR FAULTS.
Jeremiah 23:5,6
5 "The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.There is good news for the guilty: God longs to give you forgiveness. Guilt leaves us struggling with feelings of condemnation and discouragement. Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." He forgives, not because of us, but for His own sake! Unearned!
Romans 3:23 "Sin" is an archery term meaning to fall short. That is the bad news, we all sin. We disappoint God and ourselves.
Good News/Bad News -- says the Dr. "The good news is that you are not a hypochondriac!" The bad news is: "You are really, really sick!"
The Bad news is vs. 23 but the good news is Rom 3:24 "and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (NIV)
Romans 6:23 "The wages of sin…. but the free gift of God…." The gift of God is being declared not guilty.
You don’t need to carry around a load of guilt. You aren’t built for guilt! Some people walk around all the time telling themselves: "I am a cruddy mother, lousy dad, a kid who can never please my parents, etc..."
Satan is the accuser (that is what his name means), but God is the forgiver.
Write down your worst fault, the thing you feel most guilty about. Now confess it (admit that it is your responsibility) and ask God to forgive you.
Guess what? To the Christian – the blood bought, baptized believer -- God says "If you confess your sins, I am faithful and just and will forgive your sins and purify you from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 Now write in FORGIVEN over your sin in big bold letters.
If you aren’t now a Christian, you need to become a Christian. It is pretty simple: believe in Jesus, repent of sins, be buried in baptism and rise to walk with and for Jesus. Not easy .. but simple.
III. "JEHOVAH-SHALOM" MEANS GOD WANTS TO RELIEVE YOUR STRESS.
God called Gideon to lead Israel. Gideon offered a sacrifice, God sent a fire to consume it. But Gideon was afraid, Judg 6:23-24 "And Jehovah said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. 24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto Jehovah, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites."
People today are stressed, over committed, uptight- in need of peace. God wants to relieve your stress. People look for peace in all the wrong places: therapies, fads, seminars, tapes, long exotic vacations, chemicals (drugs). The drug problem in the US is the appetite we have for drugs. Could it be an appetite for peace? For freedom from stress? Anxiety?
I read about Cowboy Coach Tom Landry when he got fired. Someone asked him, "How can you be so calm?" He was coach of the Cowboys for years and years and then just dumped in a very unceremonious way. His statement was classic, "I'm a born again believer. God is my source of peace." It's not based on circumstances.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
The world offers a fragile peace based on circumstances: amusement parks – peace? mountains, beach, fishing, BUT chaos follows and destroys that fragile peace.
God offers a solid peace in spite of the chaos of Disease, Defeat, Discouragement, Disappointment, Death, Divorce...
Do you have that kind of peace? Get to know Jehovah-Shalom, the God of Peace.
What is your greatest stress? Finances, Health, Relationships? Have you ever thought about asking God for peace in that area?
IV. "JEHOVAH-RAPHA" MEANS THAT GOD WANTS TO HEAL YOUR HURTS.
When the children of Israel got to the bitter waters of Marah, God had Moses throw a tree into the water and it became sweet. Then Moses said: "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am Jehovah-rapha -- the LORD, who heals you." Exodus 15:26
Jesus was often moved with compassion over the hurts of people and often offered healing. Raised the dead, Healed the sick, Sight to the blind, Deaf could hear, Crippled people could walk.
Does God still heal physically today? One thing is for sure: Allowing God to be your peace will avoid many diseases! Allowing Him to make you righteous will avoid other diseases.
Much is being written today about the power of prayer. Studies have shown pretty conclusively that patients who are prayed for fare better. Some day all God’s people will receive ultimate healing – a perfect body.
Emotional hurts- Broken bones mend more easily than broken hearts. Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
What is your deepest hurt? Let God deal with it. Ask for His help and his healing.
Conclusion: These are just four names of God, but they point out the fact that whatever your need, that need is met in God. Quit looking to other people or other things to meet your needs. You’ll only be disappointed. Look unto your Father, your Creator for those things only HE can provide.
God takes the honor of His name very seriously. He told Moses in Numbers 20:12 "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor my name as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
We who wear and use His name must treat God as holy, honored, and revered. How can we "hallow his name"?
Jesus, Name above all names… #112
"Jesus, name above all names
Beautiful Savior, Glorious Lord
Emmanuel, God is with us
Blessed Redeemer, Living Word"
JESUS meets our greatest need – Life now and forever! It is up to you to submit, to follow, and to allow Him to meet your greatest needs! Will you?